18/04/2017 BBC News at Ten


18/04/2017

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I have just chaired a meeting of the Cabinet where we agreed

:00:07.:00:09.

that the Government should call a General Election to

:00:10.:00:12.

The surprise decision - to go the polls in seven weeks' time -

:00:13.:00:21.

was apparently made over the Easter weekend -

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and the Prime Minister claims it's all about unity and stability.

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At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity

:00:31.:00:34.

here in Westminster but instead there is division.

:00:35.:00:38.

The country is coming together but Westminster is not.

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The announcement stunned Westminster but the opposition parties say

:00:45.:00:46.

they now welcome the chance to appeal to voters.

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We're going out there to put the case for how this

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country could be run, how it could be different,

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how we could have a much fairer society that works for all.

:00:59.:01:01.

We have the opportunity to give the British people the chance

:01:02.:01:10.

to change the direction of our country, to be

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opposed to a hard Brexit, keep us in the single market

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and give Britain the strong opposition it needs.

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We'll have the details and the reaction to today's

:01:21.:01:22.

announcement from Westminster and around the United Kingdom.

:01:23.:01:24.

In Scotland, the First Minister says the vote can strengthen the demands

:01:25.:01:27.

for a second independence referendum.

:01:28.:01:28.

It is very clear the Prime Minister's announcement today is one

:01:29.:01:32.

all about the narrow interests of her own party, not the interests

:01:33.:01:35.

This will be the third UK-wide vote in the space of two years,

:01:36.:01:44.

we'll be asking voters how keen they are.

:01:45.:01:49.

Not another one? Oh, for God's sake.

:01:50.:01:51.

There's too much politics going on at the moment.

:01:52.:01:56.

On the ground with Iraqi troops in Mosul, in a now painstaking

:01:57.:02:07.

battle to retake the city from so-called Islamic State.

:02:08.:02:15.

This battle has been raging for more than two hours and it's over a

:02:16.:02:18.

matter of streets they're fighting. Prince William follows his brother

:02:19.:02:25.

Prince Harry in speaking of his mother's death

:02:26.:02:29.

and the impact it's had. And, Leicester give Atletico Madrid

:02:30.:02:31.

a scare but it wasn't We will look at how tomorrow

:02:32.:02:41.

morning's front pages are covering the call for a snap election. We

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will be joined by Joe Watts of The Evening Standard and the

:02:50.:02:52.

Conservative commentator Laura Perrins.

:02:53.:03:02.

Good evening from Downing Street where the Prime Minister took

:03:03.:03:07.

everyone by surprise earlier today and announced her plan to call

:03:08.:03:10.

a general election on 8th June, that's three years earlier

:03:11.:03:12.

Theresa May said it was all about gaining unity and stability

:03:13.:03:20.

But her opponents accused the Prime Minister of breaking her

:03:21.:03:24.

word and of pursuing a cynical plan for party political advantage.

:03:25.:03:29.

The timetable for the coming weeks looks like this.

:03:30.:03:32.

In today's announcement, Mrs May said the Government

:03:33.:03:34.

would present a motion in parliament tomorrow asking MPs

:03:35.:03:44.

to agree to the request for a general election.

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This vote is needed under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act

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because the next election wasn't due to take place until 2020.

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Opposition parties say they will agree to the request,

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Parliament would probably be dissolved on May 3rd,

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Polling day across the UK will be on Thursday June 8th.

:04:02.:04:06.

We'll have all the details and reaction to the Prime

:04:07.:04:09.

Minister's surprise announcement and we start

:04:10.:04:13.

with our political editor, Laura Kuenssberg.

:04:14.:04:15.

Did Theresa May even surprise herself?

:04:16.:04:24.

Her biggest decision as Prime Minister,

:04:25.:04:27.

I have just chaired a meeting of the Cabinet where we agreed

:04:28.:04:33.

that the Government should call a General Election to be

:04:34.:04:36.

But she says to get Brexit done, she needs more support around here.

:04:37.:04:47.

In recent weeks, Labour have threatened to vote

:04:48.:04:49.

against the final agreement we reach with the European Union.

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The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business

:04:53.:04:57.

The Scottish National Party say they will vote against

:04:58.:05:03.

the legislation that formally repeals Britain's membership

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And unelected members of the House of Lords have vowed to fight us

:05:06.:05:12.

Our opponents believe because the Government's majority

:05:13.:05:19.

is so small that our resolve will weaken and they can force

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So tomorrow there will be a vote in Parliament that

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will all but certainly get the process going.

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And if you are in any doubt about how the Tories

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I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion.

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Since I became Prime Minister, I have said that there should be no

:05:44.:05:46.

But now I have concluded that the only way to guarantee

:05:47.:05:52.

certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this

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election and seek your support for the decisions I must take.

:05:57.:06:00.

Every vote for the Conservatives will make me stronger

:06:01.:06:04.

when I negotiate for Britain with the Prime Ministers,

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Chancellors and Presidents of the European Union.

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Every vote for the Conservatives will mean we can stick to our plan

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for a stronger Britain and take the right long-term decisions

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Most of her ministers had been in the dark.

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Only in the last few days did she decide.

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Theresa May only moved in here 279 days ago.

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And she said consistently that there should be no

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Quite simply, she has changed her mind.

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What happens next for Theresa May will be up to you.

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When did you know there was going to be an election?

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When did you know, Secretary of State?

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A bit reluctant to tell us when you knew about the election?

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When did she change her mind, Chief Whip?

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When did the Prime Minister change her mind?

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When did you know there was going to be an election?

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You could forgive their surprise perhaps because they'd

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I don't think there is a need for an election.

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I think the next election will be in 2020.

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Labour will support tomorrow's vote to push the button,

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even though the weakness of Jeremy Corbyn is one

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of the reasons why an early election is on.

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Yet his supporters hope that his ideas will cut through.

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I welcome the opportunity for us to put the case

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to the people of Britain, to stand up against this government

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and its failed economic agenda, which has left our NHS

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with problems, which has left our schools underfunded,

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We want to put our case out there for the people of Britain,

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of a society that cares for all, an economy that works for all

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More than ever, perhaps, this election will not just

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be about what happens here but the whole

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The Tories won't promise another vote on independence in Scotland,

:07:55.:07:57.

This is the biggest U-turn in recent political history.

:07:58.:08:00.

But it is very clear that the Prime Minister's

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announcement today is one all about the narrow interests

:08:04.:08:06.

of her own party, not the interests of the country overall.

:08:07.:08:10.

On the road already, as planned, for the local elections,

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the Lib Dems see opportunity to come back from rock bottom.

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It is an opportunity for the people of this country to change

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the direction of this country, to decide that they do not want

:08:23.:08:25.

a hard Brexit, they want to keep Britain in the single market,

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and indeed it is an opportunity for us to have a decent,

:08:30.:08:32.

strong opposition in this country that we desperately need.

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And though the Tories start this election having gone back

:08:37.:08:38.

Many people in the country will think, "Theresa May told me

:08:39.:08:44.

she would not do this and now she is doing this can I trust her?"

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When the facts change, you change your mind.

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As she said herself, she was reluctant to make this

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decision, but she was brought to this decision by the fact that

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presenting herself with a mandate that allows us to get the best

:08:58.:09:02.

outcome for Brexit and the best outcome for Britain in her policy,

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that is the thing that is in the national interest.

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It looks like this election is entirely about Brexit,

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that Theresa May is so worried about how hard it will be,

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she thinks she needs a thumping majority of Tory backbenchers

:09:18.:09:20.

Of course we want a strong mandate, but the aim here is to do two

:09:21.:09:27.

things, one is to provide a strong mandate for Brexit, and the other

:09:28.:09:31.

is to provide a strong mandate for the future.

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The country will be asked for its view again, less than a year

:09:35.:09:38.

since the referendum, when everything around here changed.

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I think she's been changing her mind over a little while.

:09:41.:09:44.

I think her instinct was not to do it for strong reasons,

:09:45.:09:47.

she didn't want the public to think it was political.

:09:48.:09:50.

I think the whole sense and the nature of Parliament has

:09:51.:09:52.

changed quite a lot in the last month or two.

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This is the ultimate test for us because that is

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We are in politics to win elections, to win power,

:09:58.:10:01.

to put our values into practice, and we've got to seize any

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How many more times are you going to change your mind, Prime Minister?

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Win well, and Theresa May escapes some political problems,

:10:11.:10:15.

but the hurly-burly of any campaign claims casualties, too.

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Just ask anyone who has ever lived at this address.

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Laura Kuenssberg, BBC News, Westminster.

:10:21.:10:26.

Jeremy Corbyn said he welcomed the decision to call an early

:10:27.:10:29.

election, saying Labour would stand up for the people of Britain,

:10:30.:10:32.

not least on the state of the National Health Service.

:10:33.:10:36.

The Liberal Democrats' Tim Farron promised to fight

:10:37.:10:38.

against what he called a hard Brexit, while the First Minister

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of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, said today's announcement was a huge

:10:42.:10:43.

political miscalculation by Theresa May.

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More on the impact in Scotland in a moment, but first our deputy

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political editor John Pienaar looks at reaction in Westminster

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Westminster's shutting up shop soon, again.

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The soundbites, the slogans, all desperate for your attention.

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So loyal Jeremy Corbyn supporters are working hard

:11:08.:11:18.

from the start to beat the odds, to point out the issues on policies

:11:19.:11:21.

they hope may somehow prove the polls and pundits wrong.

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I want to use the period until June 8th to set out a positive vision of

:11:26.:11:31.

the kind of society that we can live in. Post-Brexit vision of Britain

:11:32.:11:36.

where this country works for them, for everybody and for the equality

:11:37.:11:41.

of everybody in work. The foundation for all to build a fairer economy by

:11:42.:11:46.

investment in good jobs for the future and investment in good

:11:47.:11:48.

quality services for the future. The British public when it comes

:11:49.:11:52.

to General Elections vote on leadership and as of now

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Jeremy Corbyn is a mile behind. I think the more people focus

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on our programme and our leadership, the more tawdry what Theresa May's

:11:59.:12:01.

offering will seem. The British public don't want

:12:02.:12:07.

a Prime Minister hand The British public did not

:12:08.:12:10.

vote to be poorer in The more people focus

:12:11.:12:13.

on the issues and the people, Is he going to be any kind of asset

:12:14.:12:20.

to you in your campaign, No, I will be the candidate

:12:21.:12:28.

in Chester, and it will be my picture on the leaflet and my name

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on the ballot paper. I will be talking about my record

:12:33.:12:35.

and the things I have achieved. What about Jeremy Corbyn, is he

:12:36.:12:38.

an asset or a liability, in a word? Well, he attracts some people's

:12:39.:12:41.

favourable attention. Good times for the Lib Dems

:12:42.:12:48.

seem a long time ago. In the last election,

:12:49.:12:51.

big hitters, Cabinet ministers, Now they are the most

:12:52.:12:53.

pro-Europe party in politics, and survivors of that famous rout

:12:54.:12:58.

believe they can turn scepticism If you look at the British political

:12:59.:13:01.

spectrum, there is quite a large centre ground,

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which certainly Jeremy Corbyn, as And which Theresa May,

:13:13.:13:14.

by pursuing hard Brexit, also does not seem to want to occupy

:13:15.:13:27.

either that is there You are hoping this

:13:28.:13:30.

might be the beginning Let's put it no more highly

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than that, but I would be very happy with the beginning of the beginning

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of a comeback. The Tories sound confident,

:13:39.:13:41.

but some in former Lib Dem strongholds in London

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and the South West expect a tough fight and just hope

:13:44.:13:45.

that the Lib Dems aren't ready I don't think the Liberal Democrats

:13:46.:13:48.

have restored their infrastructure But you know you will have

:13:49.:13:51.

a fight on your hands? Of course we're going

:13:52.:13:56.

to have a fight on our hands and we're always going to fight

:13:57.:13:58.

to win, as well. Since Nigel Farage left

:13:59.:14:01.

to seek his own political fortunes, backing Donald Trump,

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not leading Ukip after the EU referendum,

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the party has lost ground. They have lost the odd election

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they might have won. The referendum has gone,

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and so has Nigel Farage. Come on, John, I don't

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buy that at all. Theresa May may well have

:14:16.:14:19.

triggered Article 50, but the negotiations have

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not started yet. If people want the Brexit

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that they voted for on June 23rd, they'll only get that,

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I believe, if you get Ukip MPs elected to the House of Commons,

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and that is why we'll go into this And the Greens too are

:14:29.:14:32.

sticking to their mission. You look optimistic,

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but you're going to need to be. We are optimistic,

:14:36.:14:37.

because we are the party opposing extreme Brexit,

:14:38.:14:39.

opposing the decimation of public services and providing those

:14:40.:14:42.

important environmental protections. All the parties must now scramble to

:14:43.:14:53.

get candidates, raise cash, to get out a manifesto that will give the

:14:54.:14:59.

country a choice for five years. One burden Theresa May is avoiding is TV

:15:00.:15:03.

debates. Labour's agreed that all MPs will be entitled to stand as

:15:04.:15:07.

candidates, though Team Corbyn was keen some would have to prove their

:15:08.:15:11.

loyalty first and that a private meeting of Labour MPs tonight

:15:12.:15:15.

everyone agreed they would fight hard and privately they all

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understand they're going to have to. Our political editor,

:15:17.:15:32.

Laura Kuenssberg, is with me. The Prime Minister has been clear,

:15:33.:15:39.

no early election. She said it many times. What has changed? You are

:15:40.:15:43.

right. There have been good arguments for going to the country

:15:44.:15:46.

for many months. Why wouldn't they want to exploit the current weakness

:15:47.:15:50.

in the Labour Party. Why wouldn't she want her own individual mandate

:15:51.:15:53.

when she moved in and set her own priorities to free herself once and

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for all from the Tory manifesto of 2015? I'm told that in recent days

:15:58.:16:02.

what has changed her mind is one argument in particular about the

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timetabling of the UK general election and the timetable of

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Brexit. I'm told she has found the case more and more compelling to get

:16:10.:16:14.

the election out of the way to avoid a very difficult situation when, in

:16:15.:16:21.

2019, just as the EU negotiations are at their crescendo, Number Ten

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would be would be politically run rake they would be starting to think

:16:26.:16:29.

about an election. They believe in that sense EU leaders might have

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pushed them around because they would know at that point they would

:16:33.:16:38.

be afraid of doing anything politically important. That isn't

:16:39.:16:44.

new, that has been made privately for months. It's that argument the

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Prime Minister found more compelling and in and amongst a whole mixture

:16:49.:16:52.

of reasons that tipped the balance in a matter of the last few days.

:16:53.:16:57.

Let us talk about risk. Risk for all parties who engage in elections. The

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risk especially for Theresa May? It is risky. If you believe the polls,

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they suggest, which of course is the calculation that she has made, she

:17:07.:17:09.

is on course to increase her majority. She would be on course for

:17:10.:17:14.

a hefty majority. Something bigger than the wafer thin insecurity she

:17:15.:17:18.

faces right now. As we know, as xaens of the last couple of years

:17:19.:17:23.

have tested to destruction, campaigns take on lives of their

:17:24.:17:27.

own. If we think about Jeremy Corbyn when he stood as Labour leader.

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Nobody thought he had a chance apart from trusty volunteers in his

:17:32.:17:35.

campaign at the start of the referendum campaign not so long ago.

:17:36.:17:38.

Few people believed that was winnable from the leave side. The

:17:39.:17:42.

early reasons that Theresa May had not to go to the country, one of

:17:43.:17:49.

them was that the campaign could be very unpredictable any election

:17:50.:17:51.

campaign is unpredictable. No question about that. We will pick up

:17:52.:17:56.

on those themes later. Thank you very much. Laura Kuenssberg for us.

:17:57.:18:01.

So, in just over seven weeks' time, voters across the United Kingdom

:18:02.:18:04.

will be asked to go to the polls yet again.

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It will be the second general election in the space of two years

:18:08.:18:10.

and that's on top of two referendums, one on Scottish

:18:11.:18:12.

independnece, one on EU membership since 2014.

:18:13.:18:14.

So how do voters feel about another major poll and the weeks

:18:15.:18:17.

Our home editor, Mark Easton, has been to Leeds to

:18:18.:18:20.

Is this election about health and welfare, jobs and housing?

:18:21.:18:28.

I'm in the city of Leeds, torn down the middle by Brexit

:18:29.:18:34.

But more specifically, I'm in Morley and Outwood,

:18:35.:18:49.

a constituency equally split down the middle between Labour

:18:50.:18:52.

Former Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, found a new career on the dance

:18:53.:18:55.

floor after this traditionally Labour stronghold was sensationally

:18:56.:18:57.

lost to the Tories, with a wafer thin 422 vote majority.

:18:58.:19:00.

So are people excited about another chance to get voting?

:19:01.:19:02.

Have you heard they've called an election?

:19:03.:19:04.

Yes, and I don't think they should have done.

:19:05.:19:06.

Unfortunately, that's the way the Prime Minister wants it,

:19:07.:19:08.

Do you think she's right to call one?

:19:09.:19:13.

Why not, give everybody a chance to speak.

:19:14.:19:15.

It lets the people vote for someone, instead of Theresa May

:19:16.:19:24.

getting forced upon us, kind of thing.

:19:25.:19:26.

I know I'm going to put my vote to use.

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Because the leader of Labour, I hope, doesn't win,

:19:29.:19:36.

we might get a new leader for the Labour Party.

:19:37.:19:40.

Because people up north voted to come out and the truth

:19:41.:19:48.

Things are going up in the shop, aren't they?

:19:49.:19:53.

People view things different when prices are going up.

:19:54.:19:59.

She seems to have a huge lead in the opinion polls.

:20:00.:20:02.

They'll say I'm Elizabeth Taylor if you ask folks.

:20:03.:20:13.

In Leed's financial district, the largest in the UK outside

:20:14.:20:16.

London, attitudes to the snap election are different,

:20:17.:20:18.

with some thinking the poll might fire the starting gun

:20:19.:20:20.

The whole left-right system is quite old fashioned.

:20:21.:20:24.

Maybe we need to shake up politics a bit, reconfigure the way the party

:20:25.:20:29.

system works and maybe people can align themselves more with parties.

:20:30.:20:31.

Do you think it's right that she should get this mandate,

:20:32.:20:37.

because, of course, she became Prime Minister without an election,

:20:38.:20:40.

I think she needs to get out there and actually be

:20:41.:20:49.

I think that gives her a lot more, you know, credibility really.

:20:50.:20:53.

And perhaps clout in the negotiations too, do you think?

:20:54.:20:56.

You can't see why - it's not going to harm her at all, is it?

:20:57.:21:00.

Many people are trying to work out what they think this

:21:01.:21:03.

snap election means - for politics, for Brexit

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In Scotland, the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says the early

:21:06.:21:10.

election can reinforce the Scottish Parliament's

:21:11.:21:11.

call for a second independence referendum.

:21:12.:21:20.

Ms Sturgeon accused Theresa May of pursuing a "narrow,

:21:21.:21:26.

divisive, right-wing agenda" and said the voters of Scotland

:21:27.:21:28.

had an opportunity to make their voice heard.

:21:29.:21:30.

Our Scotland editor, Sarah Smith, reports on the reaction

:21:31.:21:32.

As voters across Scotland are asked to decide who they want to represent

:21:33.:21:36.

them in Westminster, the argument will be

:21:37.:21:38.

dominated by the question of whether Westminster should

:21:39.:21:40.

The issue of independence, and whether Scotland should have

:21:41.:21:46.

another vote on that, will be central to this election.

:21:47.:21:49.

Nicola Sturgeon says she's ready for the fight.

:21:50.:21:53.

I think the Prime Minister has called this election for selfish,

:21:54.:21:56.

narrow, party political interests, but she has called it and,

:21:57.:21:58.

therefore, I relish the prospect of getting out there,

:21:59.:22:00.

standing up for Scotland's interests and values,

:22:01.:22:03.

standing up for Scotland's voice being heard and standing

:22:04.:22:06.

against the ability of a right-wing Conservative Party to impose

:22:07.:22:09.

whatever policies it wants in Scotland.

:22:10.:22:14.

The SNP believe this could be a great opportunity.

:22:15.:22:19.

If they turn in a strong performance at this election,

:22:20.:22:21.

it could bolster their arguments for another referendum

:22:22.:22:23.

The only problem is, they did so well in the 2015 election -

:22:24.:22:31.

winning 56 out of Scotland's 59 seats - it's hard to see how

:22:32.:22:34.

And if they lose some seats, well, of course, their opponents

:22:35.:22:39.

will claim that shows Scottish voters don't want an

:22:40.:22:42.

Many voters who do not want an independent Scotland

:22:43.:22:47.

or another referendum, now see the Tories as the staunch

:22:48.:22:49.

defenders of the Union, which they hope could attract more

:22:50.:22:52.

I don't take any voters for granted, and nor should any other party,

:22:53.:22:58.

but we're fit for this fight, we're ready to go, we think we can

:22:59.:23:01.

put on seats across the country and I think you'll find that "peak

:23:02.:23:04.

Nat" has passed and there will be fewer SNP MPs after 8th June.

:23:05.:23:08.

That's certainly what I'll be working towards.

:23:09.:23:10.

The Scottish Labour leader was launching her local election

:23:11.:23:12.

campaign when the news came through from Westminster

:23:13.:23:14.

There's been a slight adjustment to today's order!

:23:15.:23:19.

Scottish Labour often struggle to make their arguments heard

:23:20.:23:21.

when the debate is dominated by the question of independence.

:23:22.:23:26.

This is a chance for everyone across the United Kingdom

:23:27.:23:29.

to have their say about the type of government that they want.

:23:30.:23:32.

What you're going to see is a Labour campaign focused on Labour values,

:23:33.:23:35.

I think that's something worth fighting for.

:23:36.:23:38.

The Scottish Lib Dems will also be arguing against another

:23:39.:23:40.

We want to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom and we want

:23:41.:23:48.

to keep the United Kingdom at the heart of Europe,

:23:49.:23:51.

That's the opportunity in this campaign.

:23:52.:23:53.

There is a certain irony here, which will not be lost

:23:54.:23:56.

They were told, by Theresa May - now is not the time for a referendum

:23:57.:24:03.

on independence because politicians should be concentrating on Brexit.

:24:04.:24:06.

Well, wow she's called an election that will be, in Scotland,

:24:07.:24:09.

We're also going to be assessing the impact of today's news

:24:10.:24:24.

in Northern Ireland and Wales, but we start in Scotland.

:24:25.:24:28.

Sarah, when Nicola Sturgeon says in her view this is a mainlying o

:24:29.:24:33.

miscalculation by Theresa May, what is her thinking there? Well, Nicola

:24:34.:24:39.

Sturgeon thinks that this decision could backfire on the Prime Minister

:24:40.:24:42.

in Scotland because she really believes the SNP are in a position

:24:43.:24:45.

to do well in this election and that if they do, then that will make it

:24:46.:24:50.

much Hardinger for a Westminster Government toll refuse to allow a

:24:51.:24:54.

referendum on Scottish independence. Privately though, the SNP will admit

:24:55.:24:57.

it will be incredibly difficult for them to repeat the astonishing

:24:58.:25:01.

success they had in 2015. You could have a situation where the SNP win

:25:02.:25:06.

most of the seats in Scotland, but it still looks like their support is

:25:07.:25:09.

slipping. The Tories are convinced they can make significant gains in

:25:10.:25:13.

Scotland now that they have successfully positioned themselves

:25:14.:25:19.

as the party most dedicated to keeping the UK united. The

:25:20.:25:24.

Conservatives could put it in their manifesto their opposition to

:25:25.:25:27.

another referendum on Scottish independence. If they won the

:25:28.:25:29.

general election across the UK they could say they have an electoral

:25:30.:25:33.

mandate to stop an independence referendum. Although this election

:25:34.:25:36.

here in Scotland will be dominated by that question, it may not resolve

:25:37.:25:41.

the matter of Scottish independence. There are many here in Northern

:25:42.:25:44.

Ireland who feels this vote could add to a sense of political

:25:45.:25:47.

instability. Remember people here have been to the polls twice in the

:25:48.:25:50.

last 12 months. Both for Assembly elections and the last one was

:25:51.:25:55.

itself a snap election. After the complete collapse of power-sharing

:25:56.:25:58.

at Stormont. That is a crisis hasn't gone away. The parties at Stormont

:25:59.:26:02.

have failed to come up with a deal toll restore the Government there.

:26:03.:26:06.

That's despite two deadlines and the reality is, calling this vote is

:26:07.:26:09.

only going to lead it to be more difficult. Those negotiations really

:26:10.:26:14.

have little chance of success now. That's because election campaigns

:26:15.:26:19.

here tend to be bitter and divisive. Some political commentators called

:26:20.:26:24.

the last one nakedly sectarian. There is no suggestion this one will

:26:25.:26:30.

be different. Unionists are calling it an opportunity to show support

:26:31.:26:36.

for the UK. The Republicans are raising the dangers of Brexit and

:26:37.:26:40.

pushing for a referendum on a united Ireland. With the Westminster can

:26:41.:26:55.

take over the running of the Government here or call another

:26:56.:27:00.

Assembly election alongside this general general election. In Wales

:27:01.:27:03.

it's more straight-forward than in Northern Ireland. There will be

:27:04.:27:07.

intensity nevertheless. Enthusiasm today from the Conservatives, but

:27:08.:27:12.

also the leader of Plaid Cymru, she said it was game on. The leader of

:27:13.:27:17.

Welsh Labour, the First Minister in Cardiff, Carwyn Jones, questioned

:27:18.:27:21.

the timing and questioned whether it was in the national interest. He 7

:27:22.:27:25.

will be acutely aware of the potential vulnerability of a number

:27:26.:27:29.

of Labour constituencies in a general election. Two years ago, the

:27:30.:27:35.

Conservatives put Labour under considerable pressure in parts of

:27:36.:27:39.

Wales. The Tory calculation will be that Wales voted to leave and, as

:27:40.:27:45.

such, because of that, there will be large numbers of people in Wales

:27:46.:27:48.

prepared to give Theresa May a mandate to do exactly that. One

:27:49.:27:52.

final thought, the EU referendum campaign in Wales was hugely

:27:53.:27:56.

divisive and bruising. I think the question tonight is whether the

:27:57.:28:00.

debate has moved on or whether it will be a re-run of that referendum

:28:01.:28:05.

campaign and the old wounds are reopened. Nick, many thanks.

:28:06.:28:12.

In the weeks ahead, much of the intense campaigning

:28:13.:28:18.

will focus on dozens of key battleground seats, especially

:28:19.:28:20.

in the Midlands and the north of England, where the Conservatives

:28:21.:28:23.

will be looking to boost the modest Commons majority they won last time,

:28:24.:28:26.

and Labour say they'll be hoping to win more support

:28:27.:28:30.

by campaigning on issues such as health and education.

:28:31.:28:33.

Our political correspondent, Vicky Young, takes a look at some

:28:34.:28:35.

of the constituencies likely to be part of the key battleground

:28:36.:28:38.

Theresa May says she wants certainty and stability for the UK

:28:39.:28:45.

and for her that means a decisive Conservative election victory.

:28:46.:28:50.

She's made the calculation that she can improve on her party's

:28:51.:28:53.

This is the electoral map showing the results

:28:54.:29:02.

Most striking are the swathes of blue across England and SNP

:29:03.:29:05.

The Lib Dems and DUP, eight seats each.

:29:06.:29:18.

With other parties factored in, it left the Tories with a very slim

:29:19.:29:21.

So where will the Tories try to boost their numbers?

:29:22.:29:36.

The North West and the Midlands are crucial battle grounds.

:29:37.:29:38.

Here, there are numerous marginal constituencies where very few votes

:29:39.:29:40.

At the last election, Labour made little headway here.

:29:41.:29:44.

In the West Midlands, high on the list for the Tories, will be

:29:45.:29:47.

places like Wolverhampton South West and Walsall North, both have

:29:48.:29:49.

But some argue that the current Tory lead in the polls might not be

:29:50.:29:53.

easily translated into seat gains from Labour.

:29:54.:29:56.

Once you start looking at the electoral geography

:29:57.:30:03.

of Labour's vote, it has a lot of very safe Labour seats,

:30:04.:30:07.

and therefore, getting a large majority can be quite difficult

:30:08.:30:09.

and certainly if the polls are perhaps exaggerating the Tories'

:30:10.:30:12.

lead a little bit or certainly if that lead comes down, to let's

:30:13.:30:15.

say seven, eight nine points, still quite substantial,

:30:16.:30:22.

that could still mean that Theresa May doesn't

:30:23.:30:24.

like as large a majority she might like.

:30:25.:30:27.

Labour desperately need a revival in Scotland if they're to form

:30:28.:30:30.

But the Tories and Lib Dems will also be hoping to prise some

:30:31.:30:34.

Fascinating too will be the south-west of England,

:30:35.:30:37.

They were wiped out here at the last election

:30:38.:30:40.

But how will their pro-EU message go down in a region

:30:41.:30:46.

It might be better received in some of the London suburbs which voted

:30:47.:30:52.

The Conservatives could have a real fight on their hands in former

:30:53.:30:59.

Lib Dem constituencies such as Kingston-upon-Thames

:31:00.:31:07.

and Twickenham where Sir Vince Cable says he'll stand again.

:31:08.:31:10.

But if you look at last year's referendum result, you can see why

:31:11.:31:14.

the Prime Minister wants to frame this as a Brexit election.

:31:15.:31:16.

But many of them have Labour MPs who backed Remain.

:31:17.:31:20.

She also wants to attract some of the four million voters

:31:21.:31:22.

General election campaigns can be unpredictable and just two

:31:23.:31:26.

years after the last one, voters must decide again

:31:27.:31:28.

whether there will be dramatic changes to the electoral

:31:29.:31:30.

Let's get some more reaction to today's news

:31:31.:31:41.

Our Europe editor, Katya Adler, is in Paris tonight,

:31:42.:31:47.

but first let's speak to our business editor, Simon Jack,

:31:48.:31:49.

What is your reading of the way that the markets reacted to the news

:31:50.:32:02.

today? Well, this may be a political gamble but the folks who make bets

:32:03.:32:06.

in the offices behind me like Theresa May's odds in this one. You

:32:07.:32:15.

saw the pound strengthen, they think the economy is doing well,

:32:16.:32:18.

unemployment rate is low and average earnings are going up a bit more

:32:19.:32:21.

than the cost of living and crucial to understanding the timing of this,

:32:22.:32:24.

that is not expected to last for long, so get this done before

:32:25.:32:28.

inflation, widely expected to rise, starts eating into people's

:32:29.:32:31.

earnings. So the markets think she will win. They think she will get a

:32:32.:32:36.

bigger majority, possibly less beholden to some of the hardline

:32:37.:32:40.

Eurosceptics in her own party and the markets think that will give her

:32:41.:32:44.

a stronger and a freer hand in the negotiations to come, so the pound

:32:45.:32:48.

has rallied. What is good for the pound is not so good for the stock

:32:49.:32:53.

market, lots of companies here make earnings overseas, as the pound

:32:54.:32:57.

strengthens, those profits are worth less in sterling terms. The stock

:32:58.:33:00.

market had one of its worst days in months. The pound is the one to

:33:01.:33:03.

watch, at the moment the markets like her chances.

:33:04.:33:10.

Thank you very much. Let's go live to Paris.

:33:11.:33:15.

What did you make of the kind of reaction we have seen today from EU

:33:16.:33:21.

leaders? Well, officially in Brussels a country's election is

:33:22.:33:24.

very much seen as a domestic affair and brows sells likes to stay

:33:25.:33:29.

neutral but with Brexit being such an all-consuming issue such

:33:30.:33:31.

officials could barely contain themselves. We had the President of

:33:32.:33:38.

the European Council, Donald Tus k k who tweeted it was like a Hitchcock

:33:39.:33:46.

film, first the earthquake and the tensions rises. . There is a strong

:33:47.:33:51.

sense of optimism. Theresa May has called this election hoping to

:33:52.:33:55.

strengthen her hand in Brexit ns but officials believe that a strong win

:33:56.:33:59.

for Theresa May would help the EU too. They believe that they want to

:34:00.:34:03.

have a strong Prime Minister opposite them at the negotiating

:34:04.:34:08.

table, not one they perceive as weak, hostage to interested parties

:34:09.:34:12.

and likely to do u-turns in the negotiation. Officials in Brussels

:34:13.:34:17.

and Berlin and here in Paris want Theresa May to do well. And if those

:34:18.:34:23.

negotiations following the elections do well, I have been told by high

:34:24.:34:28.

level sources tonight, then the EU would be open to starting those

:34:29.:34:31.

trade deals, the trade talks about a future relationship between the UK

:34:32.:34:36.

and the EU far earlier than had been imagined. But remember, that when

:34:37.:34:40.

the EU talks about good progress in Brexit and I heard from a top level

:34:41.:34:44.

source tonight he believes the chances for a good deal for both

:34:45.:34:48.

sides now are far improved, but they talk about good progress from the

:34:49.:34:53.

EU's point of view. Thank you very much.

:34:54.:34:58.

We'll have more from Downing Street later in the programme,

:34:59.:35:01.

and we'll be looking at previous instances of British voters

:35:02.:35:04.

going to the polls several times in a relatively short period.

:35:05.:35:09.

But first, let's have a look at the day's other news with Reeta.

:35:10.:35:12.

In Iraq, the ongoing battle for the second city of Mosul

:35:13.:35:17.

could result in the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the war

:35:18.:35:20.

against so-called Islamic State, according to the United Nations.

:35:21.:35:25.

The battle began six months ago and hundreds of thousands

:35:26.:35:27.

of civilians remain trapped inside parts of the city

:35:28.:35:30.

The militants are now surrounded, but the progress of the Iraqi forces

:35:31.:35:36.

has slowed significantly in recent weeks.

:35:37.:35:38.

Our correspondent, Jonathan Beale, and cameraman,

:35:39.:35:41.

Barnaby Mitchell, are embedded with Iraqi troops and they witnessed

:35:42.:35:45.

one of the street battles on the edge of the Old City.

:35:46.:35:53.

Even at night, you can clearly see the scars on the streets of this

:35:54.:35:58.

city and how brutal the battle for Mosul's become.

:35:59.:36:03.

We joined the Iraqi security forces about to mount yet another assault.

:36:04.:36:15.

These the same troops who've already been fighting here for months and,

:36:16.:36:18.

even under the cover of darkness, they know their enemy,

:36:19.:36:22.

so-called Islamic State, will be ready and waiting.

:36:23.:36:26.

As they move into position for what's supposed to be

:36:27.:36:33.

a surprise dawn attack, they're already coming under fire.

:36:34.:36:37.

The commander sets up his headquarters in an abandoned house,

:36:38.:36:55.

soon interrupted by a panic call on the radio - it's

:36:56.:37:01.

Dawn breaks and the Iraqi forces are still pinned down.

:37:02.:37:14.

This battle's been raging now for more than two hours

:37:15.:37:18.

and it is over a matter of streets they're fighting.

:37:19.:37:24.

And, as we hear, there is still fierce resistance from IS.

:37:25.:37:33.

That is a coalition air strike, it's the Iraqis one advantage

:37:34.:37:35.

But even air power can't always spot and silence IS snipers and nor

:37:36.:37:45.

do the rockets fired by Iraqi forces.

:37:46.:37:48.

Throughout the morning, the casualties mount.

:37:49.:37:55.

This one battle, for one street, was still raging when we left,

:37:56.:38:18.

five hours later, out of fear for our own safety.

:38:19.:38:22.

After six months, the Iraqi forces have only now reached

:38:23.:38:29.

the edge of the Old City, much of what you can see on the west

:38:30.:38:33.

side of the Tigris is still under IS control and there's every

:38:34.:38:36.

indication they'll be fighting and dying for every single street.

:38:37.:38:40.

Prince William has said the death of his mother, Princess Diana,

:38:41.:38:48.

was one of the reasons for his involvement in campaigning

:38:49.:38:50.

The Duke of Cambridge's comments today follow those

:38:51.:38:56.

of his brother Prince Harry, who revealed he'd had

:38:57.:38:58.

counselling to help him come to terms with her death.

:38:59.:39:01.

Both Princes have been campaigning for the Heads Together

:39:02.:39:03.

Our royal correspondent, Peter Hunt, reports.

:39:04.:39:07.

A transatlantic call that challenges preconceptions -

:39:08.:39:16.

the campaigning future King garnering the support of a global

:39:17.:39:19.

Lady Gaga has lived with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

:39:20.:39:24.

We have to make the strongest, most relentless attempt we can

:39:25.:39:32.

to normalise mental health issues so that people feel

:39:33.:39:35.

Thank you, Prince William, have a beautiful day.

:39:36.:39:39.

After his internet brush with stardom, Prince

:39:40.:39:44.

William's next stop - as he strives to smash a taboo -

:39:45.:39:47.

was the BBC for a screening of a documentary presented by Nick

:39:48.:39:50.

Ten people affected by mental health issues, united by one goal -

:39:51.:39:56.

I just feel like I'm not going to be able to do it.

:39:57.:40:04.

Kate, William and Harry want mental health treated like physical health.

:40:05.:40:11.

I really think this is a pivotal moment

:40:12.:40:13.

I really feel we are on the cusp of something really big and I know

:40:14.:40:18.

the BBC are keen to continue covering mental health and really

:40:19.:40:21.

As you can see, you know, I have my own reasons

:40:22.:40:26.

for being involved with mental health, what happened to me

:40:27.:40:29.

One of the mental health runners who met William is Rhian,

:40:30.:40:33.

her one-year-old son died five years ago.

:40:34.:40:37.

Her husband, who blamed himself, took his own life, five days later.

:40:38.:40:40.

She's now confronting and talking about her personal pain.

:40:41.:40:42.

The more people we can get to talk about mental health,

:40:43.:40:46.

the better because the silence is killing people and it really is,

:40:47.:40:49.

I think, yeah, I should stop talking now.

:40:50.:40:52.

Meeting the runners confronting their adversity and watching

:40:53.:41:01.

the programme left William, he said, feeling quite emotional.

:41:02.:41:03.

Their next challenge is the race in six days' time.

:41:04.:41:05.

A brief look at some of the day's other news stories:

:41:06.:41:15.

Police in the US say a gunman, suspected of shooting a man and then

:41:16.:41:19.

posting footage of the murder on Facebook, has committed suicide.

:41:20.:41:21.

Steve Stephens shot himself after being chased

:41:22.:41:23.

The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has said

:41:24.:41:28.

the company will do all it can to prevent similar postings.

:41:29.:41:32.

Police in France have arrested two Islamist militants suspected

:41:33.:41:36.

of planning an imminent attack days before the first round of

:41:37.:41:38.

Prosecutors said that guns and explosives were found

:41:39.:41:41.

in the apartment the suspects shared in Marseille.

:41:42.:41:50.

Over 8,000 migrants were rescued from the Mediterranean over

:41:51.:41:52.

the weekend, after attempting to cross from Libya to Italy

:41:53.:41:54.

in overcrowded boats, according to aid agencies.

:41:55.:41:57.

Fine weather reportedly sparked a spike in the number of people

:41:58.:42:00.

attempting the perilous crossing to Europe.

:42:01.:42:05.

Football, and Leicester City's Champions League dream finally came

:42:06.:42:08.

to an end tonight, after they drew at home with Atletico Madrid.

:42:09.:42:12.

Our sports editor, Dan Roan, was there.

:42:13.:42:17.

The latest chapter in sport's most remarkable fairy-tale.

:42:18.:42:19.

Winning the Premier League's one thing, reaching the last four

:42:20.:42:23.

of the Champions League would take Leicester City to a whole new level.

:42:24.:42:26.

But sporting miracle is what this club's defined by and now these

:42:27.:42:29.

players were intent on seizing a once in a lifetime opportunity.

:42:30.:42:32.

Leicester had returned from the first leg in Spain only

:42:33.:42:35.

a goal behind against one of the finest teams

:42:36.:42:37.

on the continent, but they knew they had to take their chances.

:42:38.:42:40.

And if that was costly, conceding could prove critical.

:42:41.:42:48.

Almost immediately, the hosts punished, Saul Niguez's pin-point

:42:49.:42:51.

header extending Atletico Madrid's lead, the crucial away goal leaving

:42:52.:42:53.

But stranger things have happened as this team has proved and,

:42:54.:43:03.

once again, they set about defying the odds.

:43:04.:43:05.

Substitute Ben Chilwell went close, before talisman, Jamie Vardy,

:43:06.:43:07.

With two more goals needed, suddenly Leicester were dominant,

:43:08.:43:12.

manager Craig Shakespeare urging his side on.

:43:13.:43:14.

The pressure intensified and the hosts never gave in,

:43:15.:43:16.

Having reached two of the last three Champions League finals,

:43:17.:43:23.

Atletico are now one step away again.

:43:24.:43:25.

Leicester's remarkable journey over, but it's one they can be

:43:26.:43:28.

proud of and which will never be forgotten.

:43:29.:43:34.

What's gone on here over the last two seasons defies belief. First

:43:35.:43:41.

that Premier League triumph and in this, the first time Leicester City

:43:42.:43:44.

have been in the Champions League, they've managed to go further than

:43:45.:43:47.

any other of the other British teams this season. The fairytale may

:43:48.:43:53.

finally be over, they now of course have to focus purely on Premier

:43:54.:43:55.

League football, but what they've managed to do is turn football's

:43:56.:43:59.

established order on its head and no one can ever take that away from

:44:00.:44:05.

them. Dan, thank you. Our sports editor there.

:44:06.:44:07.

With more now on the Prime Minister's announcement of a snap

:44:08.:44:10.

election, let's go back to Huw in Downing Street tonight.

:44:11.:44:12.

Our main story tonight is that the Prime Minister has taken

:44:13.:44:17.

everyone by surprise by requesting a general election on the 8th June.

:44:18.:44:20.

Tomorrow, MPs will be asked to approve the plan because under

:44:21.:44:24.

the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act the next election wasn't meant

:44:25.:44:26.

If, as expected, parliamentary approval is granted,

:44:27.:44:34.

it will mean a third UK-wide poll in the space of just two years,

:44:35.:44:43.

something that hasn't been seen since the 1970s.

:44:44.:44:45.

James Landale reports on a period of unpredictable politics.

:44:46.:44:49.

ARCHIVE: At 9.00pm last night, just 23-hours ago, Britain's day

:44:50.:44:51.

In the past, politics seemed so certain.

:44:52.:44:57.

We used to go to the polls every four or five years or so.

:44:58.:45:00.

When we were tired of one party, we'd give the other side a chance.

:45:01.:45:04.

But in the last few years, all that seems to have changed

:45:05.:45:13.

and the UK's now preparing to go to the polls for the third

:45:14.:45:16.

We are encircled by multiple uncertainties to a degree we have

:45:17.:45:20.

never been before in anybody's lifetime, unless they were alive

:45:21.:45:23.

They are on all the fronts - the European question,

:45:24.:45:26.

Britain's place in the world question, the Scottish

:45:27.:45:28.

question, the very existence of the United Kingdom

:45:29.:45:30.

as we recognise it and have grown up in it.

:45:31.:45:32.

All of these are, to a high degree, up in the air.

:45:33.:45:35.

Who would have predicted Nick and Dave's coalition in 2010?

:45:36.:45:39.

Or the referendum they held later on Scotland's place in the union?

:45:40.:45:45.

Few reckoned David Cameron would win an outright majority

:45:46.:45:47.

Just as hardly anyone foresaw the result of

:45:48.:45:51.

The British people have spoken add the answer is: we're out.

:45:52.:46:00.

And yes, few predicted that would mean Theresa May would be in.

:46:01.:46:10.

None of this would have surprised him because there's precedence

:46:11.:46:12.

In the 1920s, there were three general elections

:46:13.:46:15.

But these days, as we ask more of our politicians,

:46:16.:46:23.

are they asking more of us - more votes more often,

:46:24.:46:26.

to renew a mandate or support a particular policy in a referendum?

:46:27.:46:29.

In the 1970s, there was also a two-year period with

:46:30.:46:35.

and a referendum on Europe, in which yes, Mrs Thatcher

:46:36.:46:38.

All this voting doesn't please everyone, like Brenda in Bristol.

:46:39.:46:45.

I can't honestly, I can't stand this.

:46:46.:46:55.

There's too much politics going on at the moment.

:46:56.:46:57.

Well, for some, Theresa May's done it to create more certainty

:46:58.:47:04.

by ending what they see as a constitutional tension

:47:05.:47:07.

between the result of the referendum and the mood in Parliament.

:47:08.:47:10.

There's a conflict between plebiscitary sovereignty,

:47:11.:47:13.

and Parliamentary sovereignty, between the referendum and what

:47:14.:47:14.

Ultimately, parliamentary sovereignty must prevail.

:47:15.:47:24.

That is what our society, our history has depended upon.

:47:25.:47:26.

Theresa May wants a new Parliament to see in a new dawn in Britain's

:47:27.:47:29.

Unless, of course, politics changes suddenly once again

:47:30.:47:32.

Our political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, joins me again.

:47:33.:47:41.

I'm bound to pick up on Brenda's remarks there. There is clearly

:47:42.:47:48.

voter fatigue before we start? Absolutely. She won't be the only

:47:49.:47:53.

one. When you talk to people close to Theresa May they have been

:47:54.:47:56.

conscious of that for holding them back. Does the country want another

:47:57.:48:00.

election? They are aware for many people it will be a sense of - oh,

:48:01.:48:04.

no, here we go again. It comes down to that calculation. They think what

:48:05.:48:08.

stands to be gained, for them, trumps that as one of the risks.

:48:09.:48:12.

They are aware there is a longries of reasons why some people might

:48:13.:48:16.

resent them going forward with this at all. Seven weeks ahead, just

:48:17.:48:20.

about, I'm wondering how you think that will pan out in terms of

:48:21.:48:23.

issues? What kind of campaign will it be? It will be noisy, it will be

:48:24.:48:27.

quick, it will feel like it's going at a rate of knots. Morris than

:48:28.:48:32.

anything else, it will feel extremely different to the last

:48:33.:48:35.

general election. One male reason for that, there nt won't be TV

:48:36.:48:40.

debates. Number Ten made it clear Theresa May isn't interested in the

:48:41.:48:43.

head-to-head clashes we have seen in recent elections. That will look

:48:44.:48:47.

different. There are two other very important differences to the last

:48:48.:48:52.

election. Ed Miliband and David Cameron both young political Cos who

:48:53.:48:55.

rose through the ranks quickly inside their own parties. They had

:48:56.:48:59.

that in common, if you like. Theresa May and jbg wrbg are chalk and

:49:00.:49:03.

cheese. We had the long time rebel, now the leader and the reverent's

:49:04.:49:07.

daughter who worked her way up over the years. Different in style,

:49:08.:49:11.

totally different in political characters, too. Also, the context

:49:12.:49:15.

is completely different. Going into the last general election, all the

:49:16.:49:19.

way through the two main parties, Labour and Tory, were chasing each

:49:20.:49:22.

other day by day for the position to be ahead in the polls. It looked

:49:23.:49:26.

like there was almost nothing in it. Too close to call. Well, in the end,

:49:27.:49:30.

of course, there was a narrow Tory majority. We go into this general

:49:31.:49:35.

election in a completely different set of circumstances. Polls only

:49:36.:49:39.

give us a flavour, but a very, very strong flavour that the Tories enter

:49:40.:49:44.

this race at least with the prospect of a very significant victory, but

:49:45.:49:48.

who knows, 50 days we will have the answers then. Who knows.

:49:49.:49:51.

We will talk again tomorrow. Certainly will. Laura Kuenssberg

:49:52.:49:54.

there are there for us. That's all from Downing Street

:49:55.:49:58.

tonight, on the day Theresa May stunned colleagues and voters

:49:59.:50:00.

by announcing plans for an early There's more overnight

:50:01.:50:04.

on the BBC News Channel

:50:05.:50:06.

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